


to those moments

by atralei



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-20 02:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20668109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atralei/pseuds/atralei
Summary: A cheer to those moments, the bad, the good and the best.One story, twelve worlds.





	to those moments

**Author's Note:**

> Excuses first  
to those who have read either of my two fics: _bet you thought you'd seen the last of me_ but really, HI and sorry. My excuse for not posting anything for - soon to be - two years now is: I've been permanently blocked by FTL AU. I don't know why I seem to be unable to write anything unless I finish _the_ (because it's already a doom in my head) fic. So this one I'm posting rn happened by pure miracle and might not be followed by anything else unless/if I write the FTL AU. Honestly, I was tempted to post the prologue & the 1st chapter (that are written) here in hopes it somehow unblocks my writing or that I'll gain some insights from the (potential) comments and that will push me forward but I'm not sure if I want to do this to you. Because **if** you start reading and get involved, what if I won't finish? Abandoned fics are the bane. I'm welcoming any opinions and/or tips on that matter cause honestly, I'm out of ideas.
> 
> As for this one, it might be trash because I think I might have lost any writing ability I possessed. You've been warned! It might also disappear at some point because _reasons_. Anyways, it's here for you to interpret however you see fit. It is definitely not an original idea of mine jsyk - not sure in which fandom I saw it done either - but I haven't read a fic like that in SQ yet so I thought, let's post it (if there is one you can kindly let me know).  
No beta, per usual, so mistakes are all my very own.  
Constructive criticism is welcome.  
Alrighty, this was long af, if you're still here congrats and happy reading!
> 
> **disc:** I don't own anything apart from the plot.

**January**

The evening air is sharp; it leaves its frosty marks in the corners of the floor-ceiling windows. The last rays of sun shine through without leaving any warmth behind.

The sweater Regina wears barely guards her against the chilly air of the bar. Even this sacrifice doesn’t ward the cold off.

The windows rattle with the noise and she looks up to catch the sight of the passing train. A passenger car moves after a passenger car until it disappears from her line of vision. She sighs, clutches the glass in her hand and swirls the liquid inside.

It’s been three weeks since she started this charade of hers. Three weeks, every day after work she ends up wandering here, to this old train station too far out of her way home. 

The bartender knows her well enough already to put a tumbler with whiskey on the counter even before she sits by it.

It may be pathetic, but Regina stopped thinking about it two weeks ago. In any case, she doesn’t waste anything of importance. Most of her time is put up to the company and those few free moments she has are better spent outside of her vast, warm and luxurious apartment.

At least here it’s easier to pretend that she’s someone else.

She might be no one, a traveler awaiting her next move. She has no responsibilities, no promises to uphold, no people to disappoint. Every train is hers just before it moves, pushed forward towards the unknown destination. Every train is hers before it isn’t, and the clatter of the train tracks fade further away with every second.

She looks at the empty space behind the glass and then lowers her head to take a drink from her tumbler. The liquid burns her tongue and warms her chest in a poor imitation of a different feeling. She looks down at the amber substance keeping her company until the next train comes.

Until one of the doors open sweeping in more cold with a few flakes of the snow that melt instantly on the stone floor. The person responsible walks towards the bar and stops a few feet away from where she sits.

“Cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon please.” The voice is soft and familiar but Regina doesn’t turn towards it choosing to look at her glass instead. She passes it from one hand to the other on the bar’s wooden surface while the bartender passes the styrofoam cup to the newcomer. Her _thanks _is just as quick as her entrance.

The door swings open once again and this time Regina shivers from the additional cold.

She takes another sip of her whiskey and looks up.

Just as the trains and the cold, the girl has been a fixture of her evenings. Not of every evening, but of many enough that her pointless sitting turned into anticipation in no time at all. Even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself.

Cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon sits on the bench far away from the metal roof covering the station. The wayward snowflakes fall on her ridiculous leather jacket, black beanie, and blonde hair. Her stance is so unladylike that Regina's sure her mother would have had a heart attack if she could see it.

First time Regina saw the girl she thought that she waited for someone, with the way her eyes flickered to every train that came to the station. After closer examination, however, it became obvious that the looks lingered longer than any other person’s awaiting the arrival and the girl didn’t move until her cup seemed empty and she had to divest herself of it.

So like every evening, Regina studies her.

The way her blonde hair curls softly contrasting with how she holds herself, the way she hunches sometimes, with her forearms on her thighs, the way her eyes follow those trains with the longest journeys ahead of them.

There’s a longing there, longing she understands, longing she feels inside her own chest. There’s an unexpected disappointment too, when the girl stands up, throws the cup away and looks one more time at the train tracks that lead to nowhere and everywhere at once. Then she’s gone, unbeknownst to every other person on this damn station. Every other person but her.

Regina wonders sometimes - and fears - if one of these days the cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon will stand up and board a train and disappear. She wonders if she will leave. And if she does, Regina wonders too - if she will follow.

**February**

Outside parties in February are ridiculous. Especially in this part of the country.

Emma knew this even before she came – got dragged – to this particular one.

She’s not even sure what they’re celebrating or _if_ they are celebrating anything. She’s not sure whose party is this. She knows two people here and those two people promptly left her in the search of drinks, and then they never came back.

She stands alone in jeans and her leather jacket looking ridiculous between the dancing crowd full of smiley drunk people who seemed to have forgotten that _it is still_ cold outside. Because it’s still winter. There’s snow laying on the beach behind the house.

She fidgets with her keys and looks around in hopes to find her friends but there’s no sign of them so she moves, squeezing between people who keep her no mind. She walks further down to the place - she decides - has the best vantage point. She hops onto the stone fence, pulls a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket and lights one with her old zippo. The metal clinks pleasantly pulling her out from everyone.

And it feels like she’s somewhere else for a moment, with the smoke and the music almost muted by the sound of the waves that now reach her more clearly. She looks at them all as if through the glass of the fish tank, a world away from her own.

“Have a light?”

The illusion is gone, the voice bringing her back in an instant. She reaches out with her zippo, the last bits of the haze swirling around her like smoke.

The lighter open, metal clinks and she’s back again.

“Thanks.” The voice says and the lighter lands in her hand.

_Sure_, she thinks but she doesn’t say anything. The guy is long gone anyway.

She takes a drag and exhales looking around through the crowd of people.

There, in the corner on her left, she finally notices her friends drinking with a group of people she doesn’t know. Just behind them, a girl talks with a guy. A beautiful girl.

She’s dressed like all of those idiots, for the party in a much warmer month than February. Her hair is black as the night and her lips are full and red when she scowls at the man in front of her. They’re clearly having some sort of argument, not that Emma – or anyone else for that matter – can hear. The girl yanks her arm and backs away. She turns around and walks quickly towards the gate that leads to the beach. The guy moves right behind her.

“Don’t follow me.” The sentence, spit angrily, reaches her when the two of them pass onto the beach. The dude doesn’t listen. _They never do_, Emma thinks.

Something clutches deep inside her and - although she knows she shouldn’t - she just _has to _go. She sighs, jumps down from the fence, throws the cigarette on the ground and grinds it under her boot. She follows them both because_ she’s a fucking idiot._

They argue still, even with the girl’s back to the guy. Their voices seem louder now, _angrier_ when there’s no music to mask the sound. And Emma thinks that maybe it’s good that she’s here.

Just in case.

The guy catches up and yanks the girl by her arm so hard that the girl almost stumbles into him. Her face is furious when she pushes him on his chest.

Emma doesn’t know how, but she’s there in no time at all.

“Hey, asshole!” She calls, and when he turns around, she punches him in the face.

The guy curses and for a moment everything stops and she is in the fish tank right there with them both.

His nose is bleeding and he clutches it when he pushes her hard into the sand.

“Fucking bitch.” He says and he storms away towards the house. _Probably drunk_, Emma thinks.

“Fucking asshole.” She mumbles under her breath when she stands up and brushes the sand off her jeans.

She looks up at the girl who follows the dude’s retreating figure with her eyes. She bites her tongue and scolds herself. Maybe she shouldn’t have intervened.

“Listen,” she says already annoyed at herself, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to…” and her voice stops in her throat when the girl finally looks at her.

Her eyes are dark and deep and Emma can feel she’s falling right into their depths and down, down, down…

“Hi.” The girl says.

Emma takes a deep breath.

“Hi.” Emma answers.

And the girl smiles.

**March**

Regina doesn’t understand why it has to be her.

There are so many other unimportant people in the company who could have gone on this meeting and maybe even enjoy the trip. However, her mother _insisted_ with a fake smile and venom in her eyes. There was no way to argue with her when she dressed her point in frills and silks and put a neat bow at the top. Anything but the agreement would have been a warning sign in the eyes of their investors. As much as Regina despised her mother, she’s put too much of her time and effort in this company to see it destroyed.

Hence her current unfortunate predicament.

Halfway to this godforsaken village it started raining. The day darkened with grey clouds and the water fell down with a surprising vengeance. It was harder to navigate the car in this weather. The road – if you could call this _thing_ a road at all – was narrow and steep and with every minute it got muddier. Her rental was a jeep but it didn’t take long before it broke down on her.

She had half a mind to walk out of the car and look under the hood but she knew this would result only in her getting drenched and nothing else.

So she sits in the car, arms folded on her chest cursing her existence. It’s getting colder by the second and she’s hungry and uncomfortable in the leather seats.

A knock on the window makes her jump and her heart accelerates in surprise.

The smiling woman gestures at her to roll her window down. Regina scoffs, she can’t stand cheery people, but she moves the handle anyways.

“Do you need help?” The woman shouts through the rain. Her eyes are stormy green and they gleam at her from under the hideous yellow raincoat.

Regina doesn’t know when she says yes, but soon she’s out of the car and in the harsh rain. Just as soon there’s an umbrella above her and then she follows the yellow raincoat woman to-

She chuckles, it could have only happened to her, truly.

“It’s not gonna break down like your car.” The woman says in a happy voice and pulls herself up on her wagon. She reaches out her hand towards Regina, the horses neigh impatiently.

_Damn her mother_, she thinks and catches the offered hand in her own. The woman pulls her up in a show of unexpected strength and smiles at her again and Regina just… she just _can’t_ wrap her head around this at all.

The woman rolls out the blanket so they both can sit on something that is not wet and soon the horses take them further down the road leaving her rental behind like some sort of a monument to her failed expedition.

They don’t try to talk more through the rain and Regina lets herself be numbed by the swaying motion of the wagon and the sound of the rain.

It’s completely dark when they finally stop by the first building by the road. It looks like a huge abandoned cottage with a barn huddled right behind it. The woman directs the horses inside the barn where a young boy greets them. He busies himself with releasing the horses and the woman jumps down and helps Regina down.

“C’mon, we’re gonna change.” She says and Regina doesn’t even think to argue. Her eyelids are heavy, she’s shivering and her feet scream at her for forcing them into the high heels for so long. She follows the woman without a word.

They walk through the back door - she assumes - and further down the long corridor passing a few rooms on their way to find themselves in the kitchen.

And it is heaven.

It’s warm and busy and smells so good that Regina could just stay here forever.

“Emma!” Someone shouts from between the bustling people. “We were worried something happened!”

The small round woman enfolds the other one, _Emma_, in a quick hug before she makes a face and divests her of the ugly wet yellow raincoat. The long blonde princess curls bounce down from their prison and dance around the woman’s shoulders. Regina has a sudden urge to see the other woman’s face once again. Those curls are a much better fit to those eyes than the yellow raincoat, she thinks.

“And who’s this?” The round woman asks, noticing her presence and consequently driving Regina’s attention away from the blonde curls.

“That’s-“ the other woman says and stops abruptly, likely remembering that she doesn’t know her name either.

“Regina.” She says and smiles finding it surprisingly sincere. “Emma here rescued me from freezing to death.” She adds. The name rolling pleasantly out of her lips.

_Emma_, that’s a nice name.

The round woman looks up at Emma and smiles too.

“Very well.” She says and scrutinizes Regina from top to bottom in this quick, worrying manner that her mother never used. “You’re completely drenched child,” she says and glances at Emma, “both of you. I’ll bring you some clothes. Emma come with me,” she says to the woman, “Ruby, bowl them some stew and warm the wine.”

With that everyone moves and Regina stands awkwardly before the woman, _Emma_, smiles at her softly – with the stormy green eyes, and long princess hair – and takes her hand to bring her along.

In no time at all she’s dressed in too big man’s jeans and a warm sweater and she sits at the small table in the corner of - what turns out to be – a busy old-fashioned inn. Her feet arm warm in handmade woolen socks.

“I know this might be kind of overwhelming, but this is how people are around here.” The woman says between swallowing heaps of stew and bread. “I was in shock for a good month when I moved here.” She chuckles and once again dives into her food.

“It’s nice.” Regina says looking at the laughing fishermen, farmers, and villagers. More likely than not the man she has a business meeting with tomorrow is somewhere here among this crowd.

“Yeah?” The woman asks and when Regina turns around the question seems to be about something else altogether.

She nods and the woman nods back with weird understanding, green eyes sparkle.

There’s a warmth here that she hasn’t experienced in a long time, if ever. It buzzes pleasantly in her head and in her veins.

“So, how long are you staying?” Emma asks and Regina’s heart beats faster all of a sudden.

_Forever_, she thinks and shrugs her shoulders with a smile.

**April**

She hates office raids. They are completely useless and they’ve never – as long as she’s been doing this job – help caught the person who’s actually responsible for all the crimes this way.

All the files are usually cleared too, so they don’t even get much evidence.

The only thing they get is interrogation rooms full of mostly shocked employees.

And this time a shocked CEO as well. Although she’s covering her shock very well, in Emma’s opinion.

“Humbert wants to interrogate her himself, thinks there’s more to it than she lets on.” Mulan says on her right while they look through at Regina Mills on the other side of the glass.

Emma chuckles.

“The only thing _more to it_ is that she’s completely surprised by this but tries to play it cool.” She says.

Mulan turns her head toward her, eyebrows scrunched.

“Why the hell won’t she say anything then?!” she asks.

Emma shakes her head.

“Cause she’s Regina Mills.”

When their SAC walks in to interrogate the woman she opts for the coffee break and hurries to the other side of the street to her favorite cafe.

She does not want to see Regina skillfully avoiding questions and consequently covering her mother's dirty deeds.

She spends half an hour on her break looking as the clock on the wall ticks away her time. When she walks back in Humbert closes the door of the interrogation room.

“You were right.” He says and Emma only raises her eyebrows knowingly.

“Can I?” She asks, motioning to the door and the man nods.

“Knock yourself out.” He adds and walks away.

Emma takes a deep breath before she enters the room.

There’s recognition on Regina’s face, and a surprise, when she sees her but it’s quickly covered by the blank expression that Emma hates with her whole being.

“Agent.” Regina says, voice still as smooth as it was back at the university.

“Miss Mills.” Emma’s nod is curt.

The chair scrapes on the floor unpleasantly when she moves it to sit down. She doesn’t speak first, just studies Regina’s face for a sign of something, anything. A cry for help maybe, a crack of insecurity, a sliver of hesitation. But there’s nothing. There never were.

“Your superior interrogated me thoroughly, I don’t see why do I have to waste anymore of my-“

“Do you want to end up in jail?” Emma asks. She’s calm as ever, her question apathetic at best. She cannot win this with anger she knows. Anger is never good with Regina Mills.

“You don’t have enough-“ Regina starts but Emma does not let her finish.

“But we will, you know we will.” She says. “It’s only a matter of time. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but soon.” She adds.

Regina glances at the two-way-mirror, then back again at Emma but she doesn’t speak.

Emma breathes in an out and craves for a smoke that she doesn’t have.

“Why are you covering your mother?” She asks.

_After all that time_, she thinks, _after everything_.

Regina grinds her teeth visibly.

Maybe she should have said it at loud.

“Regina.” Emma sighs. Regina chuckles.

“As if anyone cares what I do.” She says, bitterness dripping from her mouth.

“We do,” Emma says, “_I do._” She stresses. “Everyone will when we make them listen.”

Regina chuckles and shakes her head. She looks at her for a long while, dark eyes searching her own, for what? Emma cannot tell. When she speaks again it’s with mockery in her tone.

“Emma Swan, always believing there’s good in people.”

A few years ago her tone would have lead Emma to anger. Few years ago it did. But not now, not when so much is at stake. Not when the woman who’s about to lose her freedom doesn’t even care.

“I do.” Emma admits, and the surprise of the statement is evident in Regina’s eyes. “There is good in you Regina. Always was, always will be.”

Emma stands up and Regina’s eyes follow her hungrily.

“It’s you who makes the monster out of yourself. No one else.” She adds before turning around towards the door. Her hand is on the handle when Regina speaks.

“I cannot-“ she starts and pauses, her bottom lip between her teeth. “I don’t trust people.”

The admission is soft and it catches Emma’s heart and holds it in an iron grip. She takes a breath and turns her head around to look Regina in the eyes.

“Trust me.” She says.

And, albeit reluctantly, Regina nods.

**May**

Regina is not a wedding person.

Usually, she avoids the ones she can avoid and goes to those she has to go to.

Like this one.

_Welcome to the wedding of Ruby and August_ reads the obnoxiously big sign that stands next to the green gate leading to the venue. The official part that took place in the nearby church – the insistence of Ruby’s grandmother, no doubt - is over and now the guests follow the newlyweds on foot through the small village towards the woods where the celebration is supposed to take place.

There are four big tables with one smaller one facing them and the guests swarm around to find their seats.

Luck must not be on her side, because Regina finds herself sitting in front of Ruby’s maid of honor Mary Margaret. Well, strictly speaking, the seat right in front of her is not occupied yet but the next one to it is just being taken by the bubbly woman and Regina can literally count the seconds before she’s being noticed and-

“Regina! It’s so good to see you!” Mary Margaret says and Regina is grateful that the tables are so wide and the woman cannot hug her, as she clearly wants to. She contents herself with a handshake and it’s so vigorous that Regina’s quite sure she wouldn’t have been able to survive the hug. David, Mary Margaret’s husband, smiles at her softly from his wife’s right side.

“Regina.” He says with a nod.

“David.” She answers.

“Emma!” Mary Margaret’s screeching voice make them both look to the side where Emma Swan gets dragged in the woman’s eager embrace. And just like that, the mystery of the empty seat in front of her is resolved. The guests on her left – Kathryn and Fredrick – arrive soon after and quickly get included in Mary Margaret’s enthusiastic greetings.

Everyone finally sits after exchanging pleasantries and Regina is for once grateful to be put at the very end of the table where there’s no one else to bother her. At least from one side.

“This is so magical! Isn’t it just so magical?!” Mary Margaret exclaims loudly while looking around in awe. In front of her Emma makes a face, and Regina tries very hard to hide her smirk so Mary Margaret won’t see and get offended. Which has happened before. Regina doesn’t fancy the repeat of the event.

Mary Margaret continues with her awed expressions long into the main course but by that time no one really listens to her anymore. Regina gets involved in the silent mocking with Emma on the other side of the table, since they can’t really talk without everyone else hearing them too.

Just as the dessert – a fancy version of an apple pie – is brought out the bride and groom start with their speeches followed by the parents and the best man. By the time Mary Margaret speaks half of the wedding guests are crying.

Regina soldiers through the speeches and when the rest of the guests follow the couple for the group pictures, she takes her unfinished desert and stops between the trees to watch the photoshoot from the side.

“Yeah, I’m not the fan either.” The voice startles her and Regina looks to the side. “But the pie is great.” Emma adds with a smile.

Regina nods in agreement.

They look on as the people interchange for the picture with the newlyweds. When the crowd awaiting their turn thins Emma bumps Regina’s shoulder with her own.

“C’mon, let’s go take a picture.”

She stands on Ruby’s side hiding the empty plate behind her dress. Emma winks at her and she smiles despite herself.

After that, they take a walk into the woods. They talk about anything and everything and she wonders at how different she thought Emma was when she only really knew her from the stories.

Soon the evening comes, and the lanterns lit above their heads like a swarm of fireflies.

The music floats towards them and Emma reaches her hand in clear invitation.

They dance slowly between the trees as the lights shine in Emma’s green eyes, and Regina thinks that maybe, _maybe_ she doesn’t mind weddings that much after all.

**June**

June is ripe with warm air and a light breeze. When the car drives past the beach with all the windows down her hair fly out in the wind. She puts her head on the frame and closes her eyes.

She loves it still, the movement, the drive, the constant motion.

Kathryn sings out of key in the front seat next to Fredrick who drives this turn. Regina – Emma knows – checks the map on her left. Marian snores beside her with her head on Kilian’s shoulder.

“Turn now.” Regina says and there’s a horn from the car behind them.

Emma opens her eyes just as Marion jumps up at the sudden sound and bumps her head on the car’s roof. She turns around with a grimace and a middle finger pulled out at their friend behind them.

“Fucking Hood.” She mumbles and turns around massaging her head. Jones laughs and leans in to kiss her head.

“See, all better.” He says. Marin swats him on the arm.

“Children.” Regina comments on the front.

They park by the camping ground and drag their stuff out of the cars. Setting up doesn’t take that much time between all fifteen of them. Soon there’s a small village of tents around.

The tasks are divided as efficiently.

Robin drags Marian and Jones into the woods to search for the wood for their campfire. Fred, Mulan, and Neal wander around to make sure that everything is secure. Kathryn, Mary Margaret, and Tinker decorate around the camp with the fairy lights, cushions and blankets. Regina, Ruby, and Neal rummage through their travel fridges for something to cook. Graham, August and herself walk to the nearby river to drag some water closer to the camp.

In no time at all hot day turns into a warm evening and they’re all sitting around the campfire cooking sausages on the sticks.

August pulls up his guitar and plays a few notes before he starts singing and the rest of them joins in.

Emma looks at her friends through the fire and smiles.

When she first heard about this idea, she thought they’ve all gone crazy. A month-long road trip with a group as large as theirs sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. Two weeks in she changed her mind.

They worked well as a team, it seemed, and there was enough of them to change the company if there was a need. They got great discounts too. All in all, a win in her books.

August’s song ends and Marian starts with another one immediately, Robin hugging her waist and joining in. August adjusts just for a second before he starts playing. Mary Margaret drags David up for a dance, Mulan with Ruby and Kathryn and Fred follow. Kilian sits on the ground, leaning into August’s leg moving side to side with the music and singing under his nose. Graham lays his head on Tinker’s thighs and his feet on Neal’s.

Regina looks up at the sky and her eyes shine orange from the fire’s glow. She sways too, with palms resting by her sides while she sits on the fallen tree that they’ve dragged around the fire.

She is a sight to behold, always was.

With all of her harshness and softness, all the blacks and whites and greys. Emma is happy now that she gave in to her friends’ insistent pleas to join this crazy trip. She gets to learn more about Regina and that is all that matters for now.

Even if it all ends up badly for her in the end.

Emma turns away for a moment, looks towards the darkness of the lake and sighs. She closes her eyes and sways and stays for a song or two. After that, she says her goodnights and closes herself in her cozied up tent.

She cannot sleep for a long time.

She hears all of her friends prepare to sleep and when they’re done only the sounds of nature persist around her.

Until her tent opens from the outside and she sits up with a racing heart, squints her eyes to see who it might be. Her hand on the knife she always has by her side.

“Hi.” Regina says softly, quietly, and her voice is as much a surprise as anything else.

Emma’s brows furrow.

“Regina? Is everything alright?” She asks.

Regina doesn’t answer; she walks inside Emma’s tent and zips it closed again. She scoots next to Emma and lays her head on the pillow.

Emma follows suit.

She turns on her side and looks into Regina’s beautiful eyes.

“I guess now it is.” Regina whispers.

**July**

Regina closes the door to her apartment with a soft thump. It’s five a.m. and she’s already exhausted with the day she’s going to have. The list of meetings that piled up for today looks endless.

She doesn’t think there’s anything that would make this day better. Even coffee.

And then-

“Good morning.”

Regina looks over her shoulder at her sweaty neighbor from number thirteen. There’s a soft smile and red cheeks and the green eyes Regina likes so much.

“Good morning Emma.” She answers and turns around fully.

“Early morning?” The woman asks and Regina nods with a grimace on her face. She glances at the watch on her hand for a second but that’s all the other woman needs. “Well, not gonna hold you back. Have a nice one.” She says and disappears behind the door to her own flat.

Regina mentally kicks herself but decides not to dwell on it and moves towards her destination.

Her day is, just as she expected, a huge pain.

Everyone wants something from her all at once, the phone doesn’t stop ringing and she has to lead all of the meetings because her employees are incompetent.

She is exhausted when the clock strikes eight and she’s had just about enough of everything. She walks towards her office doors and opens them with a bit too much strength.

“Belle, please send everyone home. We will pick it up on Monday.” She says.

Her secretary looks at her as if she grew two heads for just about two seconds before she nods and rushes to spread the message through the offices.

Regina sighs and walks back to her desk. She is done and packed in no time at all and when she strides through the floor everyone looks at her in silence.

She is sure it all looks really funny from the outside.

But Regina doesn’t care today, she just doesn’t want to think about anything.

When she gets back home and opens her fridge however, she realizes she also forgot to think about food.

She is halfway to her phone when someone knocks at her door.

“Hi.” Emma says with a soft smile and she measures her up and down from her still perfectly styled hair to her bare feet.

“Hi.” Regina says back.

They stand like that for some time, Regina assumes, because Emma chuckles and leans her head to the side. There’s some mirth hidden behind her eyes.

“Would you like to come eat?” She asks. “I made pizza.”

Regina nods without hesitation, grabs her keys and follows Emma barefoot to the flat in front of hers.

“Make yourself at home.” Emma says and walks into the kitchen while Regina looks around the open space. Unlike her own apartment, Emma’s seem to consist of one big room and a bathroom that Regina assumes is behind the only door she can see. Everything else is out in the open.

The kitchen to her right, all bright with rich red cupboards. Then there’s a small nook with a wall of naked bricks and a big bed full of blankets huddled right into it. The windows filter the city lights from the outside and there are either books on the windowsills or fluffy pillows. Then there’s a teal wall full of paintings and photos and trinkets. The big dark couch sits beneath it with the small table in front. Flower pots hang from the ceiling.

There’s so much _everything_ around here. Her place looks sterile in comparison_._

“I know it’s a lot.” Emma says standing next to her with two plates. “I didn’t intend it that way, it just sort of happened.” She looks at Regina and her eyes sparkle in the soft light. Regina smiles.

“I like it.” She says and finds it to be true.

Emma nods and motions her head towards the large couch.

Regina sits on it, the cushions welcoming her weight. Emma sits in front of her on the floor.

“So, Regina,” Emma says in an official tone, “are you a workaholic or do you just like your job?”

Regina chuckles.

“Probably a workaholic, but I like my job,” she says, “on the good days.” She adds with a smirk.

Emma smiles and nods her head.

“I know how it is. The fire station isn’t really the most _Zen_ of places but I wouldn’t change it for anything else.”

Regina nods and tries not to imagine Emma in the firefighter uniform.

“I didn’t know you’re a firefighter.” She says and takes another bite of her pizza.

“Don’t I look it?” Emma says and shows off her muscular arm.

Regina follows the soft skin with her eyes slowly and feels the heat burning dangerously down in her stomach. She looks Emma right in the eyes.

“Sure.” She says, mockingly and Emma puts on a fake sad face, which makes Regina laugh in turn.

They finish their meal between more questions and answers and laughs and when it’s time to go Emma follows Regina to the door.

“Thank you for the lovely evening. It was… unexpected.” She says and smiles. Emma nods with a smile of her own.

“See, I told you it was lucky when you moved in.”

Regina looks at her, confused and Emma nods at the number on the door with her head.

“Lucky number thirteen.” She says.

Lucky number thirteen indeed.

**August**

“Emma fucking Swan as I live and breathe!” The voice carries through the corridor and Emma feels as if the time slows down just for those few moments when she turns around to see them.

The Mills sisters.

Zelena walks toward them, linen pants tailored to perfection in green high heels and green blouse. With green sunglasses on her head. Her hair is, as always, fiery red.

Behind her Regina in white sundress seems as shocked as Emma is herself. Her hand stretched with the key still in the lock of the door to their hotel room.

“Thank Gods!” Zelena exclaims and proceeds to hug Emma and then Ruby in turn. “I thought I’d have no fun with this one,” she says motioning with her shoulder towards Regina, “but here you are!”

Regina shakes her head and walks slowly towards them all.

“Ruby, Emma.” Regina says, her voice weirdly stiff. “What are you doing here?”

Zelena chuckles, clearly annoyed.

“They’re on holidays, just as _we_ are supposed to be.” She answers for them both and Regina makes a face before she turns to study the wallpaper. “So, where are we going today?” Zelena asks, inserting herself into their plans with unbelievable ease.

“We were planning on going to the beach today.” Ruby says happily motioning to their bags.

Zelena claps her hands in excitement.

“Finally!” She says. “Let’s go!” She intertwines her arm with Ruby's and drags her down towards the stairs leaving Emma and Regina alone on the corridor.

Regina finally looks at her, her dark eyes unsure.

“I’m sorry.” She says. “I wouldn’t have guessed we would end up on holidays in the same place.”

“Literally.” Emma adds.

“Literally.” Regina repeats.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.” Emma says.

“I would have thought you have enough of me already, sharing a glass wall and all.”

Emma chuckles.

“Couldn’t get enough of you if I tried.” She blurts before she manages to bite herself on the tongue.

Regina’s eyes widen slightly but she doesn’t comment and Emma is glad for it.

“I think we should follow them.” Emma says and after Regina’s short nod they move downstairs to catch up with Ruby and Zelena.

The subway takes them to one of the small beach towns, two hours away from the capital.

The day slows down and their time is lazy and uneventful. Apart from that, Zelena seems to crowd Ruby, and Ruby – weirdly enough - seems not to mind. Emma decides to watch the situation more closely form the moment she notices.

When later on they find a local pub to eat in she sits next to Regina leaving the opposite side for Zelena and Ruby. If Regina notices how quickly it all happens, she doesn’t comment.

The waitress is quick and recommends some regional meals which names Emma doesn’t even try to pronounce.

The food is great, really. It’s so good that Emma almost loses focus of her mission.

When both women leave them – Zelena dragged by Ruby – to dance, Emma finally turns to Regina with the question that has been burning her the whole damn day.

“What the hell is going on between Zelena and Ruby?!” She asks and Regina takes a double before the message reaches her with finality.

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean?! They’ve been plastered to each other the whole day! On a holiday trip that, _need I remind you_, we are not on together!”

Regina’s eyebrow squints slightly in thought and she drags her tongue over her white teeth before she nods.

“Do you think they did this on purpose?”

And Emma makes a face that says _fuck yeah!_

From then on it’s both Regina and Emma versus Zelena and Ruby.

They try hard for one of them to admit to scheming this whole trip up but neither Zelena nor Ruby budge.

And it’s the end of their two weeks before Emma notices that she’s spend all of her time with Regina, instead of Ruby – as she planned to do.

When they’re on their plane back – accidentally the _same_ plane – Ruby insists on switching seats and Regina lands next to her instead.

When Zelena walks past her to the toilet she bends down and whispers to her ear.

“Should say thank you.”

Emma understands a second after she’s gone.

_Damn them both,_ she thinks looking at Regina’s sleeping form with a smile.

But really, she doesn’t mind.

**September**

It’s Henry’s very first year of school.

He seems to be adjusting well, goes to his classes without much prompting and comes back home excited with a new range of information every day.

She’s pretty sure she will never get tired of: _mommy did you know…?_

But it all doesn’t mean that her first parent-teacher conference will run smoothly.

She’s heard about _Miss Emma_ quite a lot those past weeks, and she saw _Miss Emma_ herself - mistaking her for a secretary when they first met no less.

It’s not Regina’s fault that the woman looks barely legal, has beautiful long hair and muscled arms. Also eyes. Very green eyes.

Regina hopes that the woman forgot her mistake, or at least will ignore it on behalf of Henry.

She parks on the school’s parking lot and takes a deep breath before walking out of the car.

There’s a lot of parents around already, they talk in groups excited over one thing or another. Regina wonders if that would be her too, in a few years, and chuckles at the image.

_Baby steps_, she thinks as she walks through the massive front door.

Henry’s class is at the very end of the corridor on her left and Regina passes a lot of people before she gets to the door. Inside the room there’s a handful of parents waiting already and she moves further in greeting them all with a nod and a smile.

A few minutes pass and more parents walk in before Miss Emma hurries towards her desk leaving the doors open. She wears tight jeans and a nice shirt and her hair curl softly around her shoulders. She sits on top of her desk and asks them to sit on the way too small chairs with a smile.

In comparison to her – and everyone around her - Regina feels like a nervous wreck.

They go through a few general topics, school trips and whatnot and after half an hour the woman thanks them for their attention and invites anyone who wants to talk with her one-on-one.

More than a few parents skip out, clearly the ones with more than one child in the same school, but some stay and Regina posits herself near the back of the classroom determined to stay until the very end.

After the last parent walks out Miss Emma smiles at her and Regina walks towards her desk.

“Miss Swan.” Regina greets.

“Mrs. Mills.” The teacher answers back with bright eyes.

“Miss.” Regina corrects for _whatever_ reason.

“Very well _Miss_ Mills, how can I help you.” Miss Emma asks.

Regina’s brows furrow a little with the unexpected, rather stupid question. She answers it nonetheless.

“I want to know how’s Henry doing.”

Emma smiles and stands up, pulls one of the drawings from the board and walks back toward her.

“Henry is a very bright boy, as you’re aware I’m sure.” Miss Emma says. “He’s curious about everything and his questions might be a little bit disruptive sometimes, but that’s nothing bad for now. He clearly loves you a lot too.” The woman adds and lays the picture on the desk between them. There are two stick figures on it with floating hearts around them, a house, a tree and… a dog? “I think he might be a little manipulative.” Emma whispers as if in a conspiracy and laughs softly.

“We are not getting a dog.” Regina says firmly, knowing that she might not be able to refuse her son if he asks her one day.

“Alright!” Miss Emma says pulling her hands up as if in surrender and Regina smiles and bites her lip.

Somehow, all her nervousness is gone and she doesn’t even know when it happened.

“You don’t have to worry Miss Mills. On the first sign of trouble I will know who to call.” The woman says. Regina nods.

They say their goodbyes and Regina moves towards the exit but before she leaves she turns around and looks at Miss Emma once more.

“It’s Regina.” She says and Miss Emma turns her head in surprise. They study each other in silence for a few seconds before the woman nods.

“Emma, then.” She says.

“Emma.” Regina repeats and leaves with a curt nod.

_It’s going to be a good year,_ she thinks with a smile.

**October**

The loud music rumbles even through the walls, the air is chilly but the night is full of loud noises and laughs. The night is full of people too, all dressed up and mostly drunk.

Emma sits on the wooden railing watching them all; the cigarette dangles from her fingers, forgotten.

“You know you should quit.”

And Emma shakes her head recognizing the voice and the phrase.

“Sure.” She says.

“I’m serious.” Regina says while she leans on the railing right next to her. Emma can feel the heat of her body and it makes her shiver. Regina looks up, dark eyes studying her. Emma clears her throat and shakes her head once more.

She looks down at Regina and tries to avoid those eyes.

“What are you supposed to be?” She asks.

Regina looks down at herself.

“Snow White.” She says. Emma chuckles. “What, you don’t like it?” Regina asks, eyes squinted in mock offense. 

“It’s not that I don’t, but this all get up is rather-“

“Slutty.” Regina interjects. “I know. Not my idea.”

And Emma knows full well whose idea this was, but she doesn’t say anything just chuckles and takes drag out of her cigarette once again.

“What are you dressed as?” Regina asks.

“A ghoul.”

“Those are your regular clothes. Well, apart from the weird wig and this emo makeup.”

Emma shrugs.

They stay in silence for a while, looking out at the dressed-up people wandering around the streets.

Regina sighs loudly before she speaks again.

“I’m sorry for what they said back there, they don’t know shit.”

Emma knows they don’t, but it doesn’t mean the words didn’t hurt any less. The tears well in her eyes but she blinks them quickly and takes a last long drag from her cigarette before dabbing it on the wood next to her and throwing it away.

The music changed its beat and Emma looks behind her catching glimpses of people dancing to the rhythm.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Regina asks, and Emma turns her head around so quickly that she almost falls from the railing.

She looks at Regina and decides not to question her before she nods and jumps down on the ground. Regina walks down the stairs and takes her hand intertwining their fingers, then she walks and Emma follows without a word.

They walk through the campus for a while, a cheap ghoul and a slutty snow white. Emma would have laughed, probably, if her hand wasn’t clasped in Regina’s so securely. And if it didn’t feel so real and so right.

But it does, and her heart beats and beats and beats as if to agree with what her head tries to tell her.

Regina finally stops under a willow tree, but she doesn’t let go of her hand, just maneuvers them softly to stand face to face.

“This is where we met.” She says and Emma looks up but doesn’t really remember. She decides to believe that Regina does.

When her eyes fell down Regina’s own catch them and hold in a grip tighter than the one she has on her hand. And Emma bites her lips before she leans down slightly hoping that she did not misread the situation.

When her lips meet Regina’s in a soft kiss she’s sure she didn’t and she smiles into her lips.

And they kiss, slowly but surely, soft strokes on soft strokes under the willow tree on the campus grounds.

When they part, after what feels like forever, Emma licks her lips.

Regina grimaces at her scrunching her nose.

“You really need to quit.” She says and she pecks her on the cheek before dragging her from under the tree somewhere further down into the campus.

**November**

The very first winter fair is always the hardest.

The snow falls from the clouds lazily, morning sun shares a bit of its warmness and Regina has to stand between two arguing townspeople listening to their nonsensical quarrel.

She will solve their _problem_ as she sees fit but she has to - at least - give the impression that she cares what they’re arguing about and why.

She has much more important matters to attend but no one really cares.

She is the Mayor, she _takes care of stuff_. That’s what Henry always tells her and it’s how everyone else sees her too, she assumes.

The people argue and Belle stands a few feet away pointing at the watch on her wrist.

_First fair is the worst_, she tells herself and smiles at the two women.

“Ladies,” she says, “I understand your concern. Please go to Kathryn at the administration stand, she will resolve your problem.” By all that she means that Kathryn will allocate them to the stands that she and the city council agreed upon three weeks ago.

Ten minutes of her time wasted.

Fortunately, she scheduled time for people to waste too.

The women thank her with smiles and she nods and moves towards Belle.

“Five minutes and the guys with the amusement park are going to be here, in twenty the rest of the stands should be allocated. Granny asks if she can start now because people are asking for her warm apple pie already.” Her assistant recites without stuttering.

“Very well. I’ll meet with the people from entertainment, you tell Granny she can start now. We will meet next to the administration stand.” Regina says already moving away.

“Madame Mayor!” Belle shouts at her and she turns around. “Sheriff will be here in thirty.”

Regina nods and gets on her way.

Her agreements with the people form the amusement park go quicker than she expected and she even has time to check on each individual stand before she reaches Kathryn and Belle.

They’re both busy overseeing the hanging of the lights over the wooden dancefloor in front of the stage.

It seems like they’re ahead of schedule this year.

Regina looks up as the firefighters help hang the last of the lights when a small solid weight collides into her legs.

“Mooom,” Henry says while hugging her legs, “can I have a slice of Granny’s apple pie?” He asks sweetly while looking up at her and fluttering his eyelashes.

Regina looks down at him and chuckles softly. She puts her hands on his woolen hat.

“Only one.” She says.

Henry makes a face for only about a half a second and then runs off again after shouting _thanks mom!_ in her general direction. She’s glad that at least her son knows better than to argue with her _or_ around her.

She wishes every townsperson knew that too. Can’t have everything, it seems.

Regina moves towards the administration stand and checks all their documents before going on another round between the stands and stations. She checks on the people from the entertainment once again, checks with her technicians and the firefighters.

Soon the sun is setting, the music is playing, and more and more people gather around the main stage to witness the opening of the first winter fair of the season.

Belle brushes Regina’s coat before she walks on the stage and then there are speeches and jokes and finally the fair is open and she can catch some break.

She walks down the stage, gives the microphone to the technicians.

The people are already dancing on the floor, some are playing the games others walking around and it seems that as of now everything is working well so she feels she might be able to get a breather.

She lets Belle know where’s she’s going and then moves towards Granny’s always-occupied stand for a piece of apple pie and a hot stew. Her fingers are freezing and she doesn’t remember when she ate last time today.

Granny notices her even before Regina can reach the stand and she slides her the food quickly. Regina takes it with a smile and walks to one of the unoccupied benches on the back between two trucks.

Her first spoonful tastes like heaven and she closes her eyes to better enjoy the flavor.

“That good?”

Her eyes snap open and she’s met with the form of her sheriff, the one Emma Swan.

“Indeed.” Regina answers and slides on the bench in an invitation.

Emma sits down next to her and steals a spoon from her hand. She dips it in the stew and puts it in her mouth. Regina studies her, eyes following the journey of the plastic spoon with fascination.

“It is great.” Emma says and smiles giving Regina her the spoon back. “The fair’s going well so far.” Emma says looking around.

Regina nods.

“It’s why I decided to take a break.”

“I see.”

“How’s the sheriff’s department doing?” Regina asks.

“We’re on top of things as well, nothing to worry about Madame Mayor.”

“Good.”

“Yeah.”

They sit in silence for some time, Regina finishing her meal and Emma looking around at the people wandering through the fair.

Regina clears her throat and stands up, Emma following suit.

“Well, time to go back to our duties.” They stand looking at each other before Emma looks around quickly and pushes her behind one of the trucks.

They catch each other’s lips in a hungry kiss. It’s quick and hard and exactly what Regina’s been missing her whole day.

“I missed you.” Emma says and Regina pecks her on the lips sweetly in an answer before biting her lower lip. Emma growls in her throat. “You shouldn’t have done that.” She says and brings them closer together; their lips meet again in another fiery kiss.

When they part they both breathe a bit heavier.

Emma smirks and her eyes are forest green, Regina’s favorite hue.

She moves away from Emma and licks her lips.

“Run along sheriff.” She says trying to steady her voice.

Emma winks at her before walking away and Regina hopes that it wouldn’t take a whole day before she can see her again.

**December**

“Can you tell me why do _we _have to do this when it’s your sister gift to us?” Emma asks while putting the fireworks in the snow. Regina trails behind her with her hands crossed over her chest, she looks at the screen of her phone to check the time.

“Because it’s Zelena.” She says as if that is supposed to be an answer.

Emma shakes her head and moves a few feet away to put another firework in the snow.

“This is all ridiculous anyway; fireworks are for New Year, not Christmas!” Emma says reaching for yet another firework.

Regina sighs and looks up at her from the screen.

“In all honesty, I stopped rationalizing my sister’s behaviors a long time ago. I think you should follow my lead.”

Emma chuckles because that has been her tactic with Zelena so far too. At least Henry somehow understands her, which… well, she chooses not to think about _that_ particular thing too.

Emma bends down and puts yet another firework down.

“I’m not even sure I’m doing it right.” She says.

“I think it’s good.” Regina says following the long line of the fireworks they’ve already put in.

Well, it has to be good because she sure as hell is not doing that again.

They roll out the fuse walking as far away as they can. Regina checks her phone once again and Emma sees Zelena, Cora and both Henrys coming outside from the house. Zelena waves at them with both hands while jumping and Emma can’t help but roll her eyes. She can hear Henry’s laugh.

“Now!” Regina says and Emma turns around and sets the fuse on fire.

The fireworks explode perfectly on time in a rainbow of colors and Emma can hear her son’s amazed _whoa_ even from this far away. She cannot help her smile.

“Happy Christmas Day.” Regina says to her moving in closer. Emma catches her cold hands and warms them with her own. Then she pulls them closer and kisses Regina’s frozen fingers.

“Happy Christmas Day.” She says and then moves their hands down and kisses Regina on the lips.

Time stops for a while in the midst of explosions and colors with Regina’s lips on her own but it’s nothing new. This is how it’s always been, and Emma hopes that it’s going to be like this forever.

When they part Regina takes her time opening her eyes, clearly savoring the moment and Emma enjoys the delighted look on her face.

Their bliss does not last long.

“Emma, Regina come back in we’re opening presents!” Zelena shouts at them from the back porch. Her voice seems loud in comparison to everything else Emma heard from back there.

She sighs.

“I hate your family.” She says.

“Our family.” Regina corrects, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Our family.” Emma agrees with a warm smile.

She takes her wife’s hand in her own and they move towards the house.

“I’ll make you hot cocoa.” Regina says and kisses her on the cheek.

“With bourbon.” Emma says.

“With anything you want.”

**Author's Note:**

> fin.  
thank you for your time!
> 
> humbly asking you don't post this fic anywhere without my permission - translated &/or in posted language - thank you.


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